Recently, fullerene fine wire (fullerene nanowhisker, fullerene nanofiber) has been widely noticed by domestic and foreign research institutes, non-governmental enterprises, and universities, among which a keen competitive race for development has become serious. Previously, the present inventors developed a method for preparing fullerene fine wire by means of a liquid-liquid interface precipitation method (Patent documents 1 and 2; non-patent document 1).
In order to obtain carbon fine wire comprising fullerene as a component, the method for preparing carbon fine wire comprises (1) a step in which a solution containing a first solvent dissolving fullerene therein is combined with a second solvent in which the solubility of fullerene is lower than in the above first solvent; (2) a step in which a liquid-liquid interface is formed between the above solution and the above second solvent; and (3) a step in which carbon fine wire is precipitated on the above liquid-liquid interface. The present inventors further have elucidated that irradiation of a visible light during the growth of fullerene fine wire greatly promotes the growth of the fine wire (non-patent document 2).
The previously prepared fine wire, however, was a monomer comprising a C60 molecule or C70 molecule only, of which the physicochemical properties were inherent in C60 or C70, respectively. Therefore, if the physicochemical properties such as electrical property, mechanical property, thermal property, optical property, and so on can be changed, it would be effective for practical use of fullerene wire.
Further, Miyazawa, one of the present inventors, has discovered that thermal treatment of C60 nanowhisker affords a fullerene shell tube having amorphous carbon wall (non-patent document 3; patent document 3).    Patent document 1: JP-A-2003-1600    Patent document 2: USP-A-20020192143    Non-patent document 1: K. Miyazawa, Y. Kuwasaki, A. Obayashi and M. Kuwabara, “C60 nanowhiskers fromed by the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method”, J. Mater, Res., 17(1)(2002) 83-88    Patent document 3: JP Appln. No. 2003-346117    Non-patent document 2: M. Tachibana, K. Kobayashi, T. Uchida, K. Kojima, M. Tanimura and K. Miyazawa, “Photo-assisted growth and polymerization of C60 nanaowhiskers”, Chemical Physics Letter 374 (2003) 279-285    Non-patent document 3: Kun'chi Miyazawa, Kogyo Zairyo, 52 (1)(2004) 24-25